Monsters lack the local touch

Bolg, an orc from the fantasy movie The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Gao Xia, a concept designer with Weta Workshop, who worked on rendering Tao Tie, says: "Chinese monsters are very different from their Western counterparts. It is also more difficult to portray Chinese monsters on screen because of the cultural factor."

Pointing out some of the challenges involved in creating Chinese monsters, he says that, for example, the eyes of Tao Tie must be under the arms according to mythology. However, in the film they are moved to the neck.

Referring to Hollywood creatures, he says: "They must be anatomically perfect. The veins of the monster, the color of its skin, the muscles and even the parasites in them must make sense."

Another problem with creating Chinese versions, he says, is that ancient paintings that portray Chinese monsters often use clouds and fire, and many monsters from folk tales and mythology only exist in the written form, making them difficult to portray.

"Just like Chinese ink paintings, we put more stress on imagination," says Gao.

Speaking about the difference between monsters from the East and West, Gino Acevedo, who has been involved in the creation of monsters for films like The Lord of The Rings, The Hobbit and Alien, says Eastern culture is fond of the powers of supernatural beings, while the West turns to nature for inspiration.

Acevedo himself is a good example of a monster expert inspired by nature.